A US Democratic senator introduced a bill on Monday that would limit President Donald Trump's ability to use military force against Iran without congressional approval. The initiative comes amid growing tensions between Israel and Iran that have raised concerns about a wider conflict, Reuters reported, BTA reports.
Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia has long sought to restore Congress' constitutional authority to declare war. Back in 2020, during Trump's first term, he proposed a similar resolution that passed both houses of Congress, including with some Republican support, but failed to overcome a presidential veto.
Kane's new resolution emphasizes that under the Constitution, only Congress has the power to declare war, and that any military action against Iran must be expressly authorized by special law or a declaration of war.
“It is not in our national security interest to go to war with Iran unless absolutely necessary to defend the United States. I am deeply concerned that the escalation between Israel and Iran could quickly drag the United States into a new, never-ending conflict,“ Kaine said in an official statement.
Under US law, resolutions related to war powers are “privileged“ -which means the Senate must consider and vote on them without delay.
Last Friday, the Israeli military launched strikes on Iranian targets with the stated goal of neutralizing the country's nuclear and missile programs. Iran, which insists its nuclear program is peaceful, responded with missile strikes on Israeli territory. The escalation resulted in civilian casualties and raised concerns that the hostility between the two countries could escalate into a larger regional conflict.
President Trump expressed support for Israel's actions and rejected Iranian allegations of American involvement in the offensive. However, he warned Tehran not to attack American targets.
Before leaving for the G-7 summit in Canada, Trump commented on the possibility of a diplomatic solution:
“I hope there will be a deal. I think the time has come. Sometimes things have to be clarified by force, but we will see how events unfold,“ he said.